Military Medicine at Little Bighorn

LG Walker Jr, MD, FACS

The 597 men of the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the US dition of the 7th Cavalry into the Black Hills of Army, with 35 Indian scouts, and 15 quartermaster em- present-day South Dakota “to obtain the most infor- ployees and civilians, under the command of Lieutenant mation in regard to the character of the country and Colonel George Armstrong Custer met with disaster on the possible routes of communication through it.” June 25 and 26, 1876, on the bluffs overlooking, and in This was sacred country to the Sioux and, then, part the valley along, the Little Bighorn River in southeastern of their reservation. When gold was discovered there, Montana.1 The story of the battle is well known, but less prospectors entered the Black Hills in droves, irre- known are its medical aspects.The article reviews the 7th spective of the risks, which led to more violence and Cavalry’s medical resources, medical personnel, equip- death. An early attempt by the government to buy the ment, types of wounds encountered, and mortality rate. Black Hills from the Sioux was thwarted by Sitting Of interest is how medical care had changed from that of Bull and Crazy Horse. In December 1875, President the Civil War, a decade earlier. Briefly discussed are why Grant ordered all Indians back to their reservations by and how the battle occurred. January 31, 1876. When they failed to do this, they were deemed hostile and plans were made to attack HISTORIC SITUATION them. Immigrants as they streamed across the West, crossed the Custer’s regiment was part of a larger force de- traditional buffalo hunting grounds of the Plains Indi- signed to drive the Sioux and Cheyenne back to the ans, sometimes causing loss of life and provoking reservations and away from their favored buffalo pitched battles. The Bozeman Trail, along the upper hunting grounds. There was a pincer movement to branch of the Platte River, was one such point of con- close in on the Indians, with General George Crook flict. Army posts established along the Trail to offer pro- to come up from Wyoming from the south, Colonel tection were frequently undermanned, leaving settlers at John Gibbon from Montana on the west, and General 2 risk for attack and death. One attempt to deal with the Alfred Terry from the east. Custer, under the Terry volatile situation was the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868, command, left Fort Abraham Lincoln near Bismarck where US Commissioners and a variety of Sioux chiefs on May 17 going west. Crook coming from the south and subchiefs signed a treaty to allow for peaceful use of was turned back by a hostile force led by Crazy Horse the Bozeman Trailin return for Indian reservations. This at Rosebud Creek in mid-June, leaving only Gibbon’s encompassed almost all of present-day South Dakota and Terry’s forces to close in on the Indians. west of the Missouri River, including the Black Hills, Whether by rashness, lack of military intelligence, or and other considerations. The Sioux were to allow the stupidity, Custer entered the fight alone on June 25. railroads to build unimpeded across the country and After crossing the mountains between the Rosebud and agree to cease attacks on travelers and settlers. In com- the Little Bighorn Rivers, he encountered an Indian vil- pliance, the majority of the Sioux settled on the reserva- lage in the Bighorn Valley that was about 3 miles long by tions to become dependent on government food and 1 mile wide and contained an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 services, but Chiefs Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Gall warriors, and many more women and children. Custer, refused to sign at Fort Laramie and remained on their known for his daring assaults in both the Civil War and traditional hunting grounds. in previous Indian battles, did not wait for Colonel Gib- In June 1874, Custer was ordered to lead an expe- bon’s army to arrive from the northwest. Fearful of los- ing the element of surprise, he pushed ahead with the attack. Taking 5 of the 12 companies with him to their Received April 2, 2005; Revised June 29, 2005; Accepted June 30, 2005. deaths, he rode along the bluffs overlooking the Little Charlotte, NC. Correspondence address: LG Walker Jr, MD, FACS, 1053 Bolling Road, Bighorn River, with the probable intention of attacking Charlotte, NC 28207-2205. the village downstream. He sent Major Marcus Reno

© 2006 by the American College of Surgeons ISSN 1072-7515/06/$32.00 Published by Elsevier Inc. 191 doi:10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2005.06.273 192 Walker Military Medicine at Little Bighorn J Am Coll Surg with three companies across the shallow river, which was across the river and up a steep bluff. Indians on all sides 30 yards wide in places, to attack the village from the poured rifle bullets into the troopers and, in some cases, south. He ordered Captain Frederick Benteen, with pulled them off their horses and clubbed them to death. three companies, to scout for escaping Indians toward Porter told of treating one soldier with a chest wound the Bighorn Mountains to the west. Custer apparently who pleaded with him to save him, but evacuation of the believed that the Indians would not fight, but would wounded was out of the question. Porter later recalled, make every effort to escape from his lightning assault. “My horse was rearing and plunging, and I had all I He assigned one company to escort and guard the pack could do to hold him. The Indians in their mad pursuit train in the rear. of our troops did not notice me in the timber. They were Custer’s troops entered the battle better armed than passing within 10 feet of where I was. I placed laudanum their opponents. Troopers carried a 7.5-pound Model on the wound and bandaged it as best I could and again 1873 Springfield “Trapdoor” carbine with an effective mounted my frightened horse.”8 Several men without range of 500 to 600 yards, along with a Model 1873 mounts hid overnight in the woods, enabling them to Single Action Colt .45 revolver known as the “Peace- reach safety on the bluff under cover of darkness. Dr maker” or the “thumb buster,” sighted for 25 yards.3 DeWolf was killed while scaling the bluff on his horse Indians carried a variety of weapons, most with shorter during the rout. This left Dr Porter, whose horse carried range and less accuracy, including clubs and arrows for him safely up the bluff, as the only surviving surgeon of close combat. the regiment. Reno considered it to be a charge to a defensible position, others a retreat. This issue led Reno MEDICAL PERSONNEL to request a court of inquiry in 1879 to clear himself of The 7th Cavalry went into battle with three surgeons, charges of cowardice. one regular Army, and two on contract.4-6 Dr George At bluff top, a defensive perimeter was hastily devel- Lord, the regular Army surgeon, was 30 years old, born oped by the survivors of Reno’s and Benteen’s troops in Boston and grew up in Maine, and graduated from and those with the pack train. Within the perimeter in a Chicago Medical School. He was known to be ill on the saucer-shaped depression near the center, Dr Porter es- day of the battle and it was questionable if he could go tablished an open field hospital on top of canvas tarpau- with Custer’s five companies but, when asked, he re- lin. A red cross marks the site today. At first some of the fused to allow another surgeon (Dr Porter) to take his wounded tumbled off their horses into the designated place, and so he rode to his death. medical area. Later men were brought in as they were The two contract surgeons were Dr James DeWolf, a wounded. Water soon ran out. Although they were native of Pennsylvania, 33 years old, and a graduate of within sight of the river, no water could be gotten with- Harvard School of Medicine, and Dr Henry Rinaldo out great personal risk.The wounded were in agony with Porter, from upstate New York [Lee Center], 28 years thirst in the fierce Montana heat before volunteers could old, and a graduate of Georgetown University School of retrieve water. Fifteen of these water carriers were later Medicine. Both contract surgeons rode with Reno’s bat- awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery. talion across the river. Each had an orderly to carry sup- plies but no trained assistant. Neither surgeon rated a uniform because they were on contract status. We know MEDICAL SUPPLIES that Dr Porter wore a linen duster over his clothes into How did military medicine and surgery differ from that battle. This garment had become fashionable for travel- practiced in the Civil War a decade earlier? The major ers on the railroads to protect their clothes from the dirt advance was based on the work of the British surgeon, and cinders in the days of open car windows. Porter’s Joseph Lister (1827–1912).9 Learning of Pasteur’s work duster appeared to attract the attention of Indian marks- on fermentation in 1865, Lister applied this to the prob- men and he was warned by chief guide “Lonesome lem of wound infections and successfully used carbolic Charley” Reynolds moments before the latter took a acid to dress the wound of an 11-year-old boy in Glas- fatal bullet.7 gow who had sustained an open fracture of his left leg When Reno’s men met overwhelming force in the when crushed by a cart wheel. He published his results in valley and were turned back in a rout, they rode back a series of articles in the Lancet in 1867. This began the Vol. 202, No. 1, January 2006 Walker Military Medicine at Little Bighorn 193 concept of “antiseptic surgery” before bacteria had been told them that it would make them worse. They insisted seen or proved to cause infection. on having it anyway.”8 When Dr George Lord, the senior surgeon on the A number of soldiers recalled Porter’s untiring efforts expedition with Custer, took the Army examination for in caring for the wounded. Captain Benteen wrote, surgeons on January 11, 1875, he was asked to describe “The hospital was established at the upper rim [of a the antiseptic treatment of wounds and to compare its saucer-like depression], and was about as safe a place as results with other dressings. His answer gives us insight there was around the vicinity, the blue canopy of heaven into the general understanding of surgeons about the being the covering: the sage brushes, sand being the concept at the time. On his examination he wrote in reply, operating board; but the stout heart and nervy skillful “The antiseptic treatment of wounds is based on the theory hand of Dr Porter was equal to the occasion.”10 that certain agents called antiseptics have the power of de- Private John F Donoughue, Company K, wrote, “We stroying certain organic germs said to exist in the air and had with our part [of the regiment] two physicians Drs to be injurious to the process of healing—in my opinion DeWolfandHRPorter.DrDeWolfbeing killed early it is injurious to freshly granulating surfaces.”5 It would on the 25th, left the whole responsibility on Dr Porter, be another 10 years (1886) before “aseptic surgery” and I must say I never saw or heard of a man who acted would develop, based on steam sterilization of equip- a braver part than this same Dr Porter—at work inces- ment as advocated by Ernst Von Bergman (1836–1907), santly, taking off a limb here, helping in other ways men professor at Berlin.9 otherwise wounded and never flinching” (Bismarck Daily Lister’s other surgical innovations arising from his Tribune, January 17, 1888). studies on inflammation and infection were the intro- On the battlefield, Dr Porter amputated Private Mi- duction of chromic catgut sutures stored in carbolized chael Madden’s right leg below the knee. Prompt ampu- oil and popularization of rubber drainage tubes. These tation for compound or open fractures, had been mili- items and carbolic acid were available to the surviving tary medical doctrine since the Napoleonic Wars, when surgeon, Dr Porter, for use at Little Bighorn. He went it was advocated by Baron Jean Larrey (1766–1842).9 into battle with an amputation kit made by J Tiencken Madden had sustained an open fracture of the ankle of New York, and a US Army field surgical chest no. 2 when shot while attempting to get water. By the time of that held medications, surgical instruments, bandages, his amputation, all narcotics and anesthetic agents were and other supplies. The wooden chest, about the size of gone, leaving him only “sanitary alcohol” or brandy for a small trunk, was strapped on the back of a mule. When relief of pain. The amputation was done to prevent, if fully stocked the supply box contained all of these items, possible, infection, gangrene, and death. The operation but we can be sure that they were exhausted early in the was probably performed by the “circular method” rather battle (these items carried by Dr Henry Porter may be than the “flap method,” in the interest of time.11 It was seen at the Museum of the State Historical Society of successful despite the high mortality rate for a primary North Dakota, Bismarck, ND). Porter had another item amputation in a military setting (10% to 30%). The listed in the supply chest that would not have been avail- patient was given a battlefield promotion to sergeant and able to a Civil War surgeon, an Esmarch tourniquet, to discharged from the post hospital on September 13, secure a bloodless surgical field. Friedrich von Esmarch 1876. He was known to be alive at least 10 years later. (1823–1908) introduced this elastic bandage during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871).9 EVACUATION The battle ended late on the afternoon of June 26, 1876, when the Indians spotted the relief column of General SURGICAL CARE Alfred Terry and Colonel John Gibbon approaching The wounded came in to Dr Porter’s makeshift field from the north; “walking soldiers,” the Indians called hospital faster than he could attend them. Horses were them [infantrymen]. Chief Red Horse later said, “The killed and fell into the wounded men. He later recalled, Indians can’t fight walking soldiers; they are afraid of “We had been fighting in the boiling sun all day [June them, and so we moved away.”12 The whole village with- 25] without a drop of water, and the wounded were drew.The soldiers arrived at 11:00 AM on June 27, bring- begging for a drink. I had some brandy with me, but I ing with them two surgeons, Dr J W Williams and Dr H 194 Walker Military Medicine at Little Bighorn J Am Coll Surg

O Paulding, to assist the “overburdened” Dr H R Por- his belt into his abdomen in the valley fight. He regained ter.1 The dead were buried on June 28. The wounded his saddle and before crossing the river to climb the bluff were evacuated the next day by mule litters and travois. a bullet struck his upper thigh. One of his friends wrote Forty-three wounded boarded the FarWest early the next about him, “We knew that he was doomed to die, there- morning, where they lay on the straw- and tarpaulin- fore we went to him with offers to write his mother.” He covered decks for transport.1 The ship reached Bismarck refused the offer but requested that his friends retrieve late on the evening of July 5 and Fort Abraham Lincoln his tobacco from his saddle pockets. He survived and at 2:00 AM on July 6. There Dr H R Porter and Dr I H was known to be on duty at Fort Lincoln 2 years later.13 Ashton turned them over to post surgeon J V D The bullet must have made only a superficial wound in Middleton. the abdominal wall after passing through the patient’s An analysis of the wounded under the care of Dr belt. Porter shows that there were 78 wounds in 68 individu- Corporal George King, shot through the shoulder, als. Not included in this number were those killed out- died on the Far West on July 2. No other information is right in the hilltop fight, Privates Meador, Gebhart, and available about his death. Also, Private James Bennett, Voight. Of course, all who failed to reach the bluffs of the shot through the spine with resulting paraplegia, died Reno-Benteen Battlefield were killed. No prisoners were July 5 on the ship Far West. taken on either side. Wound sites are listed in Table 1. Two of six shot through the hip died in the hospital at Fort Abraham Lincoln. Post surgeon J V D Middleton recorded in his log of July 21, 1876, the following: “Pri- OUTCOMES vate David Cooney Co I 7th Cavalry Gunshot wound Of the 68 individuals wounded, only 6 died, for a mor- ‘right hip’ died today of Pyaemia.”14 The other patient tality rate of 8.9%, a very favorable rate. Of the six 1 with a hip wound would die 2 months later. deaths, one died on the bluffs during the battle on June 2 On August 29 Middleton wrote: “Operated on Cor- 26, three died on the steamship FarWest on July 2 and 3, poral William [M] Smith’s arm assisted by Dr Redd.The while being evacuated, and two died at Fort Abraham right elbow joint was resected. Condyles of the Humer- Lincoln Hospital on July 21 and October 4. ous and about 1½ inches of shaft were removed. There Abdominal wounds were especially lethal. Two of the was excessive hemorrhage and shock, both of which three receiving such wounds died. Private George Lell combined with the prolonged exhibition [sic] (“inhibi- died on June 26 shortly after a gunshot wound to the tion”) of Eating came near proving fatal. He however abdomen. Private William George died on the steam- survived under the combined influence of stimulants per ship Far West 8 days later, after “suffering terribly” from anum and electricity.” Dunglison’s Dictionary of Medical a “bad shot” to the left side.13 The one who survived is Science of 1874 states: “Electricity is used medically as an worthy of mention. Private Francis Reeves was knocked excitant. It has been occasionally used with success in off his horse when struck by a bullet that passed through paralysis, rheumatism, accidental deafness, amaurosis, amenorrhea, and so forth, but it is not extensively used. Table 1. Wounds at Little Bighorn It may be communicated by means of the electric Wound sites n bath....”15 Corporal William M Smith survived, was Legs and feet 23 discharged from the Army on disability in February Arms 12 Head and neck 10 1877, and lived until 1921, when he died of a kidney 13 Shoulders 9 sarcoma at 69 years of age. Hands and wrists 7 On September 13, 1876, Dr Middleton noted in the Hips 6 log that he “operated on Private [Frank] Braun, M Co of Abdomen 3 Cavalry, putting him under the influence of Ether, Back 3 probed his wound with finger and _____, extracted two Buttocks 2 pieces of cloth, made a counter opening near tuberosity Chest 1 of ischium from which there was some arterial hemor- Spine 1 rhage, and straightened him out on his back.”14 Braun Not specified 1 died October 4 at the Fort Lincoln Hospital. At his Vol. 202, No. 1, January 2006 Walker Military Medicine at Little Bighorn 195 death Dr Middleton excised portions of the infected return to Fort Abraham Lincoln and lived an honored femur and the innominate bone and sent them to the US existence for a number of years at Fort Riley, Kansas. Army Medical Museum, Washington, DC, where they After death he was preserved by taxidermy and is now in the are now part of the collection of the National Museum Natural History Museum at The University of Kansas, of Health and Medicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pa- Lawrence. thology (written communication with S Solomon, Pub- In conclusion, Plains Indians’ warfare, like their lic Affairs Officer, National Museum of Health and hunting, was based on close contact and individual Medicine, AFIP,Washington, DC, September 6, 2003). acts of bravery. They used guns primarily in the short Of Custer’s command, 268 were killed or died of range while riding ponies and horses. There were no wounds and 62 were wounded and survived. Of the suicidal charges, no sophisticated tactical evolutions, known 647 participants in the command, 51% were and no night fights. Once the defensive perimeter was killed or wounded. How many Indians were killed? established atop the bluffs, the soldiers were able to On which side, you may ask, because there were In- keep the Indians at a distance by their superior weap- dians on both sides. Four Indians were killed and two ons, better marksmanship, and access to sufficient wounded on Custer’s side and are included in the ammunition in the pack train. It is strongly suspected numbers here. These were guides, scouts, and inter- that Custer’s five companies soon ran out of ammu- preters. On the opposing side, the numbers vary, but nition and this led to their speedy demise. Lakota all are less than Custer’s total casualties. Crazy Horse Chief Red Horse stated in 1881 that “had the soldiers claimed that 68 were killed and 60 wounded, of not divided I think they would have killed many which 60% died (Bismarck Triweekly Tribune, June Sioux.”17 11, 1877). This would total approximately 96. Chief With distance between combatants maintained, Gall claimed 43 died in all, saying, “A great many Indian weaponry was much less lethal. Twenty-four of crossed the river and died in the rushes. They died the 68 wounded soldiers promptly returned to duty every day. Nearly as many died each day as were killed after injury. The low mortality rate for the wounded in the fight.”15 Lakota Chief Red Horse in 1877 said cannot be attributed to medical care. Except for the 136 Sioux had been killed and 160 wounded.15 Based dramatic battlefield leg amputation, almost all other on these very inexact estimates, it seems reasonable to say that fewer than 150 of the opposing Indians were care was noninterventional, ie dressings and pain re- killed. lievers, when available. For the most part, this allowed Of interest, there were no cases of tetanus or septic for nature to take its course. Perhaps the medical ax- gangrene. The latter was a major problem in World iom, “First of all, do no harm,” had its greatest appli- War I, which was fought in the cow pastures of France cation in this battle. and Belgium. Perhaps the arid climate and relatively uncontaminated soil were responsible. There were no REFERENCES recorded rattlesnake bites at the battle and no re- 1. Gray JS. Centennial campaign: The Sioux War of 1876. Nor- corded cases of heat exhaustion, despite intense heat man: University of Oklahoma Press; 1976. Reprinted in 1988: and water deprivation. There were no arrow wounds 193, 195. in the survivors. Some 25 to 30 of the bodies found 2. Romaine-Davis A. John Gibbon and his heart-lung machine. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press; 1991:3. away from the defensive perimeter had been pierced 3. Gallear M. Guns at the Little Bighorn. Available at: http:// with many arrows, suggesting postmortem mutila- www.westernerspublications.ltd.uk/CAGB%20Guns% tion.16 Chief Gall recalled that, “we soon shot our Guns%20at%20the%20LBH.htm. Accessed March 9, 2005. cartridges, and then shot arrows, and used our war 4. Wengert JW. The contract surgeon. J West 1997;36:67–76. 15 5. Petersen ES. Surgeons of the Little Big Horn. Chicago: West- clubs.” The only living thing to survive from erners Brand Book; 1974;31:41Ϫ43. Custer’s five companies was a horse named “Co- 6. McGreevy PS. Surgeons at the Little Big Horn. Surg Gynec manche,” which had been ridden by Captain Myles Obstet 1975;140:774–780. Keogh of I Co and was found riddled with bullet 7. Taylor JH. Sketches of frontier and Indian life on the upper Mis- souri and Great Plains. Pottstown, PA: Self-published; 1889:106. wounds and arrows. The horse rode on the open deck 8. Compendium of history and biography of North Dakota. Chi- of the Far West along with the wounded soldiers on cago: Ogle; 1900:163. 196 Walker Military Medicine at Little Bighorn J Am Coll Surg

9. Guthrie D. A history of medicine. Philadelphia: Lippincott; 14. US War Department. Fort Abraham Lincoln medical history 1946:321–329, 338, 339, 343. 1872Ϫ1891. Roll #4283, State Historical Society of North Da- 10. Benteen F. A transcript of Benteen’s narrative. In: Graham WA, kota, Bismarck, ND. ed. The Custer myth. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole; 1953:181. 15. Dunglison R, ed. A dictionary of medical science. Rev. ed. Phil- 11. Crumplin MKH. The Myles Gibson military lecture: surgery in adelphia: Lea; 1874:343. the Napoleonic wars. J R Coll Surg Edinb 2002;47:566–578. 12. Wood WH.The story of the Sioux Chief “Red Horse.” In: Graham 16. Scott DD, Willey P, Connor MA. They died with Custer. Nor- WA, ed. The Custer myth. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole; 1953:60. man: University of Oklahoma Press; 1998:308–309. 13. Nichols RH, ed. Men with Custer: biographies of the 7th Cav- 17. McChesney CE. Another version of the story of “Red Horse.” alry. Rev. ed. Hardin, MT: Custer Battlefield Historical Museum In: Graham WA, ed. The Custer myth. Harrisburg, PA: Stack- Association; 2000:117, 273, 274, 310. pole; 1953:61–62. Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 510: Unable to find the specified location map definition: "Module:Location map/data/Montana" does not exist. The Battle of the Little Bighorn, commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand, was an armed engagement between combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army. The battle, which occurred on June 25–26, 1876, near the Little Bighorn River in eastern Montana Territory, was the Walker. Military Medicine at Little Bighorn 195. death Dr Middleton excised portions of the infected femur and the innominate bone and sent them to the US Army Medical Museum, Washington, DC, where they are now part of the collection of the National Museum of Health and Medicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pa¬ thology (written communication with S Solomon, Pub¬ lic Affairs Officer, National Museum of Health and Medicine Military Medicine at Little Bighorn. J Am Coll Surg. 9. Guthrie D. A history of medicine. Philadelphia: Lippincott; 1946:321-329,338,339,343. 10. Benteen F. A transcript of Benteen’s narrative. In less than an hour, the Indians had won the Battle of the Little Bighorn, massacring Custer and every one of his men. The battle has been ennobled as “Custer’s Last Standâ€â​ €”but in truth, Custer and his men never stood a fighting chance. Custer’s early life was less than auspicious. The following year, he entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he was a less-than-stellar cadet: Custer graduated dead last in his class of 1861. When the Civil War broke out in April 1861, Custer joined the Union Army’s Cavalry and soon proved himself a competent, reliable soldier in battles such as the First Battle of Bull Run and the Battle of Gettysburg. Traditionally, the village on the Little Bighorn has been depicted as the largest ever seen in the West. Actually there were at least one dozen villages larger, and geographical and spatial considerations illustrate the impossibility of the exaggerated size estimations. A village that has been depicted as large as six miles long and one mile wide, in reality was 11â„​ 2 miles long and one-quarter mile wide. Crow historian and war chief Joseph Medicine Crow at a dedication of a peace memorial near where the bloody Battle of Little Bighorn began in Garryowen, Montana, in 2001. (Beck Bohrer/Associated Press). Link copied to clipboard! “ 10. GIVE $. Joseph Medicine Crow, the last living Plains Indian war chief and a passionate historian, died on Sunday at age 102. A member of the Crow tribe, Medicine Crow was an outspoken advocate for his people, whose suffering he witnessed in the wake of the U.S. government's relegation of American Indian tribes to reservations and the policy of cultural genocide in government-run boarding schools. "He was my everything," his son Ronald Medicine Crow told the Billings Gazette. Medicine Crow was also the final link to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, or what the Lakota Sioux call Battle of the Greasy Grass, a major battle from the Great Sioux War of 1876, when US troops ethnically cleansed Native American lands to seize gold from the area. READ MORE: 9 cities abolish Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Chief Black Coal, kept the Arapaho at peace during the Great Sioux war of 1876 – John K. Hillers, 1882 ⊕ pic.twitter.com/xa1taR14Pg. Gallear M. Guns at the Little Bighorn. Available at: http:// www.westernerspublications.ltd.uk/CAGB%20Guns% Guns%20at%20the%20LBH.htm. Accessed March 9, 2005. Surgeons of the Little Big Horn. Chicago: West-erners Brand Book. Jan 1974. Join ResearchGate to discover and stay up-to-date with the latest research from leading experts in Military Medicine and many other scientific topics. Join for free. ResearchGate iOS App.